Last week, on “Coconut Friday,” a baby orphaned elephant named Korbessa got a spa day. According to her caretakers, it’s her favorite day of the week—and who can blame her? On Coconut Friday at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation center, caretakers coat these babies’ skin with coconut oil and then cover them in dirt.
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In the video, you first see Korbessa following her caretaker, seeming eager for what’s to come. A man sprays her down with a bottle full of coconut oil while she stands quite still. Once slick with oil, she lies down in the dust and the men begin shoveling and tossing dirt on her. She looks like she’s having a great time at the baby-elephant spa.
But why coconut oil and dirt?
“On Fridays, we slather our youngest orphaned elephants in coconut oil, which conditions the skin and provides healthy fats,” Sheldrick Wildlife Trust writes in the video’s caption. “The ritual concludes with a dust bath, which wards off the sun’s rays and biting insects.”
Though Korbessa obviously loves Coconut Friday, the organization says not all of the orphans feel the same way.
“Some orphans attempt a speedy exit the moment they see the [coconut oil] bottle,” Sheldrick Wildlife Trust says.
Watch an orphaned elephant get a “spa” day here:
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